On this Day- The First Rock Concert

It was on this day back in 1952, that many consider the first ever rock concert was performed. After you read the story, you’ll see why. Of course the first ever rock concert naturally was promoted by none other than Alan Freed, the man who coined the term “Rock n’ Roll”. The Cleveland Arena held the Moondog Coronation Ball, featuring Paul Williams and the Hucklebuckers, Tiny Grimes Rockin Highlanders, The Dominoes, Danny Cobb and others. The show was such a huge success, they decided to add another show on the night of March 21st, 1952.

And that’s when things rolled over into rock.

The second shows tickets didn’t indicated that they were the second showing. As a result people from the first show used there tickets to get in the arena, along with the people who bought tickets to the second show.

25,000 people were crammed into a space built for 10,000.

The resulting riot, left the Cleveland Arena with smashed windows, crashed doors, and one very angry fire marshal.